Can crusher

ABSTRACT

Apparatus including two pairs of lever arms pivotally engaged at the ends of the individual lever arms and each lever arm having a pressure transmitting end section. Other means pivotally engage corresponding midportions of the individual lever arms to secure the pairs of lever arms together to form a compression enclosure from criss-crossed lever end sections adjacent the pivotal connections of the pairs of lever arms.

United States Patent 11 1 [111 3,901,141

Bochmann Aug. 26, 1975 [54] CAN CRUSHER 268,033 ll/l882 Lynes 100/236 X 1,031,156 7 l9l2 Wll" 100 236 [75] Inventor: Carl E. Bochmann, Brecksville, 1 ldms Ohio Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite [73] Assxgnee: Burton Morgan Hudson' Ohm Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Oldham & Oldham C0. [22] Filed: Aug. 28, 1974 [211 App]. No.: 501,179 [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus including two pairs of lever arms pivotally [52] 100/236; 100/264; lOO/DIG- 2 engaged at the ends of the individual lever arms and u B30) 7/ 00 each lever arm having a pressure transmitting end sec- [58] Field of Search 100/233, 234, 264, 236, on other means pivma), engage corresponding loo/DIG 2; 241/99; 269/237, 287, 153; midportions of the individual lever arms to secure the 99/ 581 pairs of lever arms together to form a compression enclosure from criss-crossed lever end sections adjacent References Clted the pivotal connections of the pairs of lever arms.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 151.924 6/1874 Shcpardson l00/236 10 7 Draw";

CAN CRUSHER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION At the present time more and more importance is being attached to the conservation of the natural resources and other products of our country. Specifically, the metal used in household containers such as cans can be recycled and reused. More efforts are being made continually to pick up and reprocess the metal in cans after having been used by the homeowner. It is somewhat difficult to store these cans and to process them for storage and shipment in compact fashions. Sometimes one can manually crush a can after having removed both ends thereof but this is unpleasant and rather dangerous action that may be objectionable, and some women cannot crush cans manually or do not wish to bother to do so.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved, attractive can crushing apparatus, characterized by production of the crusher from sturdy molded plastic parts providing a relatively easily used crusher device for use with cans and other articles for applying a manually applied crushing or compacting pressure thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can crushing device from four identical lever arms made from molded plastic materials whereby the production, assembly and use of the can crusher is facilitated and the costs therefore are reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact can crushing apparatus that can be stored on a counter shelf, which crusher is readily cleaned, which crusher will easily and safely crush a can to a flattened condition by relatively lightly applied manual pressures to the crushing device, and which is made from two pairs of pivotally engaged lever arms operatively assembled in criss-crossed relation.

Other objects will be made apparent from the following description.

Reference now is made to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the article of the invention with the compressed operative position of the apparatus being indicated in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the compressor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view, partially broken away and shown in section, of one arm or lever of the compressor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan of one lever arm of the compressor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the lever arm of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan of the lever arm of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an elevation of the lever or arm of FIG. 4.

When referring to corresponding members as shown in the drawing and described in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison there-between.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE INVENTION The can crusher includes two pair of lever arms pivotally engaged at the ends thereof and with each lever arm having a pressure transmitting end section, means pivotally engaging corresponding axially inner ends of the said end sections of the individual lever arms of both of the pairs of the lever arms to secure them together in criss-crossed relation and form an operative four lever arm unit that has a compression enclosure provided by the lever arm end sections. Each lever arm has a pressure applying end section, the pressure transmitting end section is about twice the width of the pressure applying end section, and each lever arm including a flat pressure compression transmitting inner surface when operatively assembled; and the compression enclosure being forrned by the compression surfaces on the four lever arms.

The invention also relates to the particular fulcrum means provided in the can crusher and how the four lever arms are operatively engaged by the fulcrum means to provide an easily assembled can crusher adapted for transmission and provision of article crushing or compacting forces by the crusher apparatus.

With reference to the details of the apparatus shown on the drawings, a can crusher or the like is indicated as the whole by the numeral 10. The can crusher 10 is formed from a pair of left lever arms 11 and 12 secured in the pivotal engagement with each other by a fulcrum means or shaft 13 and by a pair of right side lever arms 14 and 15 secured in pivotal engagement with each other by a fulcrum means or shaft 16. Additionally, the can crusher has the pairs of lever arms operatively engaged with each other in criss-crossed relation by pivotal or fulcrum means 17 and 18 intermediate the ends of the two lever arms of each pair. Corresponding portions of the lever arms are engaged by such means 17 and 18.

It is a feature of the invention that to facilitate engagement of the lever arms and formation of the same, preferably these lever arms 11, 12, 14 and 15, are all of the same shape and are made from a molded plastic materialof any known nature, such as a polycarbonate or other conventional molding resin. The fulcrum means 13, 16, 17 and 18 can be removably or permanently engaged with the lever arms.

The individual features of one lever arm 11 are shown in FIGS. 4 through 7, and each lever arm includes a pressure transmitting end section 20 and the handle or pressure applying end section 21 at the opposite end of the individual lever. The drawings clearly show that the pressure transmitting end section 20 is substantially twice the width of the pressure handle or applying section 21 and consequently has a portion 22 offset act laterally from axial alignment with the pressure handle section. This pressure transmitting section includes a flat pressure applying inner surface 23 which is adapted to be positioned on the inside of the crisscross lever assemble of the can crusher 10 and with the four levers being so correlated and positioned so that a compaction enclosure 24 is formed from the pressure transmitting sections 20 of the four levers when operatively associated as shown in FIG. 1. Hence an article to be compacted or crushed, such as a tin can or like article, can be placed in this enclosure when the levers are put into their open or separated positions and are then manually moved down into the compaction position, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 to flatten the can. If desired, the cans or other articles to be crushed can have one or both ends cut therefrom prior to positioning the can in the compaction enclosure. Normally the can would be positioned in the enclosure as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1 with its longitudinal axis parallel to the axes of the pivotal means 17 and 18 securing the lever arms together for operative action.

Preferably each of the lever arms includes a plurality of axially directed, parallel, laterally spaced webs extending the length of the lever arm and with the webs 30, 31, 32 and 33, extending the length of the lever arm as shown in FIG. 6 whereas webs 34, 35, and 36, extend only the length of the pressure transmitting section.

The two pairs of levers are pivotally secured together by the fulcrum means or shafts l7 and 18, as previously indicated, and each such fulcrum shaft extends between and through apertures 37 and 38 formed in the laterally outermost ones of the webs 30 and 36, respectively of the individual lever arms and with such fulcrum shafts extending between pairs of such holes 37 and 38 formed in laterally aligned areas of two lever arms when positioned in operative criss-crossed relationship with central portions thereof aligned for receiving the fulcrum shafts. The remaining webs 31 through 35 have notches 39 form therein on the inner edges of the webs in relation to the operative assembly of the various lever arms for receiving the fulcrum shafts therein but not being threadedly engaged therewith. The notches receive the fulcrum shafts for compressive pressure transmission there-between in the operative can crusher as assembled. End portions of the webs of the lever arms of each pair are interleaved with relation to each other when engaged and the lever arms are reversed in relative positions. Likewise the webs of the lever arms of one pair of lever arms are laterally offset slightly from the corresponding webs in the corresponding lever arm for interleaved engagement therewith.

Such fulcrum means 17 and 18 hence extend through corresponding holes 37 and 38 formed in each of the lever arms 11 and 14, etc.

The pivotal or fulcrum means 13 and 16 used for securing the two arms of the pairs of lever arms together include fulcrum' shafts 41 that extend between the longer webs 30 through 33 at the operative pressure transmitting end section and with fulcrum receiving notches 42 being formed in the vertically outwardly facing edges of the shorter webs 34, 35 and 36 of the lever arms when operatively positioned whereby such notches 42 will engage the short fulcrum shaft of the associated lever arm with which the lever arm 11 as shown engages. Hence such left lever arms 11 would engage with its corresponding left lever arm 12 by the short fulcrum shafts 41 provided on each of the lever arms engaging the notches in the companion webs formed on the associated lever arm. These notches 42 face outwardly of the operative lever arm assembly for transmitting compressive pressures there-between at the laterally outer portions of the criss-cross lever arm assembly.

It should be appreciated that the can crusher of the invention can be made from any suitable members secured together by fulcrum shafts, bolts or the like and that a permanent assembly of the lever arms can be made or a removeably type of engagement can be provided between the lever arms. By removeable engagement of the apparatus of the invention, it is possible to dismantle and clean, repair or inspect the can crusher apparatus when desired. Normally, the fulcrum shafts 17 and 18 removably engage the individual lever arms 11 and 14 and 12 and 15, respectively, to aid in providing releasable engagement there-between. The other fulcrum means formed by and including the pivotal means 13 and 16 as previously described can be forced into engagement by bringing a pair of the levers into back to back relationship and forcing the one lever arm to have its short fulcrum shaft 41 engage the notches 42 in the associated lever arm and vice versa for the engagement of the short fulcrum shaft on the other lever arms with the notches 42 in the second lever arm whereby operative pivotal engagement for pressure transmission can be achieved between the two lever arms. The pairs of arms then are joined by the members 17 and 18.

Each lever arm has a frame plate 50 usually formed as a unit with the frame webs 30, 31 etc. Such plate may include an inclined end 51 at the free end of the pressure applying section. Hence, the apparatus can be opened by lifting the lever arms 11 and 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Then the ends 51 of the levers 12 and 15 will slide along on a support surface as crushing pressure is exerted by the apparatus on an article within the enclosure 24 as downward pressure is applied to the levers 11 and 14.

The end portions of the webs 30-36 are inclined at 52 with relation to the longitudinal axis of the straight lever arm to facilitate complete collapse of the apparatus 10 as indicated in FIG. 1 for complete crushing or flattening of a can in the enclosure 24.

In view of the foregoing, it is that an attractive, compact, sturdy can crusher apparatus or the like has been provided. Hence the objects of the invention have been achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is;

1. A manually operated can crusher device or the like comprising two pairs of pivotally engaged lever arms, and

two hinge fulcrums individually engaging corresponding individual arms of the two pairs of arms to secure them together in criss-cross relation and form a central pressure chamber from portions of said lever arms which are movable to a superimposed substantially flat position to crush any article in said chamber.

2. A crusher device as in claim 1 where said lever arms are all of the same shape and size and each includes a widened end section at a chamber forming end thereof and a lever portion protruding from said end section.

3. A crusher device as in claim 2 where each said lever arm is a plastic molded article and has longitudinally extending laterally spaced ribs for interleaved end engagement with the ribs of another of the lever arms.

4. A crusher device as in claim 3 where said ribs have.

hinge fulcrum engaging slots formed in ends of said ribs at an offset portion of said widened end section and a hinge pintle at the ends of the other ribs of the remaining portion of said end section for facilitating assembly of the pairs of said lever arms, the hinge fulcrums being positioned intermediate the ends of said lever arms.

5. A crusher or compactor apparatus for cans or other articles and comprising:

two pairs of lever arms pivotally engaged at the ends thereof, each lever arm having a pressure transmitting end section, and means pivotally engaging corresponding axially inner ends of said end sections of the individual lever arms of both of said pairs of lever arms to secure them together to form a 4-sided compression enclosure from said lever end sections, which enclosure is flattened when the lever arms are moved together and which is opened when the lever arms are moved apart. 6. Apparatus as in claim 5 where all of said lever arms are of identical construction.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 where each lever arm has a pressure applying end section, and said pressure transmitting end section is about twice the width of said pressure applying end section and has an offset portion, and includes a flat pressure transmitting inner surface.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 where each lever arm includes a plurality of axially directed, parallel, laterally spaced webs extending the length of said pressure transmitting end section,

said lever arms of each pair of lever arms being secured together by fulcrum shafts individually secured to and extending across said lever arms only at the portions of said pressure transmitting end sections aligned with said pressure applying end sections, said webs in the offset portions of said pressure transmitting end sections being slotted on edges of end portions thereof to engage the fulcrum shaft of an associated lever arm for pivotal compressive pressure transmitting engagement therebetween.

9. Apparatus as in claim 1 where the lever arms are movable from an open inoperative position to a closed pressure position, four of said lever arms are pivotally engaged with each other by four fulcrum means for applying compression pressure to any article within said compression enclosure when said lever arms are moved to a collapsed criss-cross position.

10. Apparatus as in claim 8 where each said lever arm is flat and has a frame plate formed with said webs thereon, and each of said pressure transmitting end sections has said webs protruding therefrom at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis of such lever arm to facilitate securing pairs of said lever arms together and positioning said lever arms substantially parallel when the apparatus is flattened for article crushing action.

l =l= l 

1. A manually operated can crusher device or the like comprising two pairs of pivotally engaged lever arms, and two hinge fulcrums individually engaging corresponding individual arms of the two pairs of arms to secure them together in criss-cross relation and form a central pressure chamber from portions of said lever arms which are movable to a superimposed substantially flat position to crush any article in said chamber.
 2. A crusher device as in claim 1 where said lever arms are all of the same shape and size and each includes a widened end section at a chamber forming end thereof and a lever portion protruding from said end section.
 3. A crusher device as in claim 2 where each said lever arm is a plastic molded article and has longitudinally extending laterally spaced ribs for interleaved end engagement with the ribs of another of the lever arms.
 4. A crusher device as in claim 3 where said ribs have hinge fulcrum engaging slots formed in ends of said ribs at an offset portion of said widened end section and a hinge pintle at the ends of the other ribs of the remaining portion of said end section for facilitating assembly of the pairs of said lever arms, the hinge fulcrums being positioned intermediate the ends of said lever arms.
 5. A crusher or compactor apparatus for cans or other articles and comprising: two pairs of lever arms pivotally engaged at the ends thereof, each lever arm having a pressure transmitting end section, and means pivotally engaging corresponding axially inner ends of said end sections of the individual lever arms of both of said pairs of lever arms to secure them together to form a 4-sided compression enclosure from said lever end sections, which enclosure is flattened when the lever arms are moved together and which is opened when the lever arms are moved apart.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 5 where all of said lever arms are of identical construction.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 1 where each lever arm has a pressure applying end section, and said pressure transmitting end section is about twice the width of said pressure applying end section and has an offset portion, and includes a flat pressure transmitting inner surface.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 7 where each lever arm includes a plurality of axially directed, parallel, laterally spaced webs extending the length of said pressure transmitting end section, said lever arms of each pair of lever arms being secured together by fulcrum shafts individually secured to and extending across said lever arms only at the portions of said pressure transmitting end sections aligned with said pressure applying end sections, said webs in the offset portions of said pressure transmitting end sections being slotted on edges of end portions thereof to engage the fulcrum shaft of an associated lever arm for pivotal compressive pressure transmitting engagement therebetween.
 9. Apparatus as in claim 1 where the lever arms are movable from an open inoperative position to a closed pressure position, four of said lever arms are pivotally engaged with each other by four fulcrum means for applying compression pressure to any article within said compression enclosure when said lever arms are moved to a collapsed criss-cross position.
 10. Apparatus as in claim 8 where each said lever arm is flat and has a frame plate formed with said webs thereon, and each of said pressure transmitting enD sections has said webs protruding therefrom at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis of such lever arm to facilitate securing pairs of said lever arms together and positioning said lever arms substantially parallel when the apparatus is flattened for article crushing action. 